New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Congress on Friday said that the Forest Conservation Act 1980 and the National Biodiversity Act 2002 are being amended wholesale despite widespread opposition.

Congress said these changes will neither protect biodiversity nor promote the conservation.

“What a cruel joke! The Forest Conservation Act 1980 and the National Biodiversity Act 2002 are being amended wholesale despite widespread opposition and the Prime Minister says this,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.

“Make no mistake these changes to the laws will neither protect biodiversity nor promote conservation. Obviously, his governing philosophy is to keep repeating a lie in the hope that it gets to be seen as the ‘truth’ after a while,” the Congress leader said.

Jairam Ramesh remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India has consistently been at the forefront in taking action on biodiversity conservation, protection, restoration and enrichment, and has set the bar even higher through the updated targets.

The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial Meeting in Chennai via video conferencing.

Modi said he was proud to say that India has led the way through its ambitious “Nationally Determined Contributions”.